On the Outside Looking In
by Irish Rose1
Summary: Oliver and Lana watch as Lois and Clark become closer and their reactions are strikingly different. 3 of 3.


He couldn't figure them out.

But to be perfectly honest, to them there was nothing _to_ figure out; they were friends, period. That's what they kept telling each other because at the heart of it they were, and it was what Oliver envied the most.

He and Lois had never taken the time to become friends before they began their relationship or even after and it was probably why it never felt as though there was a solid foundation to support them. To borrow the metaphor, their relationship had been built on sand and because he kept the fact that he was Green Arrow from her, it kept him from being completely honest. And their relationship began to quietly erode even before his business as Green Arrow forced him to leave Metropolis.

She'd told him not to expect her to be waiting for him, but that was when she thought he'd be returning. The hardest thing he'd had to do was tell her that he probably wasn't coming back and he'd called it when he said it would be the moment that he would always regret.

And he still did.

But as he watched Clark and Lois, he wondered if it hadn't all been for the best, for them.

Christmas had always been a rather bittersweet time of the year for him, because he'd never really had a family to celebrate with. And he'd missed his one chance to celebrate with Lois when they were together because he was following a lead on one of Lex's 33.1 facilities.

And while _this_ Christmas was no more bittersweet than all the rest, the feeling had been curbed somewhat by watching Lois try and talk Clark into being her escort to his mother's charity Christmas Ball.

Martha Kent was home from Washington for the holiday recess and as she'd done since she'd taken her husband's state senate seat, she hosted an event for the Granville Home for Abandoned Children. She'd gotten Oliver on board to not only help sponsor the event at the time, but to throw in a generous donation as well.

He did it gladly and he'd continued to help even after she'd gone to Washington.

"Smallville, I have to be there to cover this thing for the _Planet_ and I'd rather not go alone." Lois stood toe to toe with him, blocking his attempt to walk away from her desk.

"Mom said it was all right with her if I skipped it; and I choose to skip it." Clark sighed as he tried to get around her.

Oliver smiled as he leaned against the doorjamb of his office, observing the exchange and shook his head. Clark Kent should have known better than to try and tell Lois Lane he didn't want to do something. He knew from personal experience that all it did was make her dig her heels in and try harder.

"Clark, it's not like it's a date or anything, not that I would accept if you asked." She wrinkled her nose at the thought.

"And I _wouldn't_ ask." He shot back. "Lois, I'm not into the whole black tie thing and Mom knows that. Besides, you don't need a date to do your job."

"Is _that_ what's bothering you? I already told you, this wouldn't be a date. You'd just help me look a little less pathetic by not being there alone." Her finger shot up and she pointed at him. "Don't even say it."

"Say what Lois?" Clark laughed and then he sighed the sigh of a defeated man. "All right. If it'll save me a discussion with my mother asking why I won't take you and giving me her disappointed look, I'll take you."

And Lois rolled her eyes. "I'm not expecting you to _take_ me, Smallville; just meet me there. Then it can't be considered a date."

"Well, that's a relief." He replied, but did it with a smile.

Oliver just couldn't figure them out.

oooooo

She'd made mistakes in her life.

Marrying Lex was one of them, but that wasn't her fault. He'd presented an honorable front to her and she bought it.

She'd slept with him, but only because he pressured her into it. He'd all but told her that if she wasn't ready to take the next step with him, she couldn't continue to live with him. And since she had no where else to go, she gave in.

And it was nothing like her experiences with Clark.

Clark.

He'd spoken to her only once since her unpleasant confrontation with Lois, which Lana felt was uncalled for. She was sticking her nose into business that didn't concern her and tried to make her feel guilty for doing what was best for the man she loved.

He'd asked her to come out to the farm the day after that, but didn't invite her into the house. He told her that whatever it was she had to say could be said in the driveway. He didn't even have the courtesy to suggest the porch swing, so they could sit. She had at least deserved _that_.

He stood next to her car; arms folded across his chest looking stone faced as she repeated what she'd said in her message. But she added that with time away to think about things, she'd reconsidered their break up and wanted to give them another chance.

She smiled at him as she said it and knew it wouldn't take him long to soften his stance and agree to try again. But to her utter surprise, he remained unmoved and told her that she'd made her choice and forced _him_ to live with it.

He then said that with her away, _he'd_ had time to think about things and realized that she was right. It was time for them both to move on, he told her and said goodbye, leaving her standing alone as he walked back to the house.

She hadn't expected his callous rejection and with his repeated refusals to talk to her after that, she finally left town.

She returned just before Christmas because the Isis Foundation was one of the sponsor's for Martha Kent's charity ball and it wasn't lost on Lana that Clark would probably be there as his mother's escort. He always played the dutiful son, and it would give him a chance to see her in the dress that she'd selected with him in mind.

She had taken her usual suite at the _Regent_ in Metropolis and after she'd checked in, was on her way to the private elevator when she heard two familiar voices. She handed her key card and a tip to the bellman and told him to take her suitcases upstairs.

They were headed toward the ballroom where the charity event was being held later that evening and she followed them.

"Why am I here?" Lana's heart fluttered at the sound of Clark's voice.

"You're here because your mother kicked you out of the house." And she frowned at the sound of Lois's.

"She didn't kick me out, Lois." He protested. "She said that I should take a break from my chores and get some fresh air." And he laughed.

It startled her to hear it because she couldn't remember Clark ever laughing when they were together.

"Fresh air in Metropolis." He shook his head and Lana had no doubt he was smiling. He really was handsome when he smiled and it always made her weak in the knees because he rarely did it around her.

But he always seemed to around Lois.

"So why are _you_ here?" He asked and Lana suddenly noticed how closely they were walking together as he bumped his fingers against hers.

"Preparation, Smallville." She'd always hated that stupid nickname. "I want to be familiar with the room, so that I can move around easier."

"Or move _away_ from someone's groping hands?" He laughed again.

"And a big help _you_ were. 'Don't worry Lois, I'll keep an eye on you'." Her voice sounded stern, but then _she_ laughed. "A lot of good your promise did me when you were on the other side of the room."

"I've already apologized for that." He laughed again. "It wasn't as though I _planned_ on getting cornered by the _very _pretty business editor."

"Thinking with your hormones again, I see." And she shook her head.

"Come on Lois, she's not _half_ as pretty as you are." His voice softened and it sounded as though he really meant it as he grasped her fingers for a brief moment and let them go.

Lois looked up at him and Lana could swear that she was blushing. "That Kent charm may work with your mother Clark; but it's not going to work with me."

"I guess I'll just have to try harder then, won't I?" His own face was flushed and Lana's heart dropped down to her toes as she stopped and watched them walk into the ballroom.

She couldn't lose him, not now.

oooooo

"Would you stop fidgeting with that tie?" Oliver tried not to laugh as Mrs. Kent slapped at her son's hand and scolded him as though he were a five-year-old. "It looks fine."

"Tell me again why I'm doing this?" He frowned and reluctantly dropped his hand.

"You're wearing that monkey suit for a good cause, Clark." Oliver caught Mrs. Kent's eye and smiled before his attention was drawn to Lois, who had appeared at the entrance of the ballroom. "And for a chance to see something like _that_." He inclined his head toward her and when Clark's eyes found what Oliver was indicating, he looked absolutely thunderstruck.

And for good reason, because she _was_ stunning.

Oliver felt his own heart react to her, but with a deep breath he forced it to return to it's normal pace; it wasn't his right any more. A touch on his arm got him to look at Clark's mother and she smiled at him sympathetically.

"She does look lovely, doesn't she?"

"That she does." He nodded and smiled again when he realized that Clark hadn't moved. "What do _you _think, Clark?"

"About what?" He asked absently as Lois began to walk toward them.

The sleeveless floor length black formal she was wearing had a square neckline that dipped just enough to get a man's attention, but was more than appropriate for a business function. The pearl necklace and earrings she had on added a touch of elegance to the ensemble and Oliver couldn't help but be proud of her.

She was, after all, there on business for the _Planet_ as a reporter. But when she was finished with taking her notes, she would simply be there as the guest of Senator Martha Kent.

By the time Lois reached them, Clark had managed to compose himself and not look so stunned. Lois for her part was trying to appear nonchalant, but it seemed that she was just as stunned at the sight of Clark.

"It's nice to see that you decided to dress up for the occasion, Smallville." She patted his chest with her hand and Oliver didn't miss the color that rose in his cheeks or _hers_ for that matter. "You almost look presentable."

"Likewise, Lois." Clark seemed to regain his equilibrium and he smiled at her. "It's too bad that you couldn't leave the snark at home, though."

"Now why would I do that? It's part of my charm." Lois smiled back and seemed to relax a little into the familiar pattern of bantering with him. It was comfortable for her because Oliver had the feeling that she was extremely uncomfortable at the moment.

"It's part of _some_thing all right." He shot back playfully and his blush deepened.

Was this the first time that Clark had _really_ seen her as the beautiful woman she was?

"Lois honey, you look lovely this evening." Mrs. Kent touched her arm as the orchestra began to play and couples began to move onto the dance floor. "Let me take your wrap and your purse so that Clark can ask you to dance."

"Dance?" "Dance?" They asked together.

_They had it bad and they had no idea. _Oliver shook his head as he stood next to Clark's mother and held out his hand for Lois's things. "Dancing, I'm sure you've heard of it. Where a man and a woman walk out onto a ballroom floor, much like this one, put their arms around each other and move to the music.

"With a song like 'Moonlight Serenade', it shouldn't be that difficult."

They glanced at each other uneasily and Oliver had to keep himself from rolling his eyes, as he'd seen Lois do so many times. He set her wrap and purse down on their table and turned to Clark. "This is how it's done." He turned back to Mrs. Kent and held out his hand. "Would you care to dance?"

"That's a lovely idea Oliver, thank you." She took his hand and they walked away from her son and his ex. When they reached the floor and began to dance, Mrs. Kent laughed. "When did you decide to start playing matchmaker for Lois and my son?"

"There's always been a spark between them that I didn't understand in the beginning." He explained. "It's a spark that they aren't even aware is there and it seems to me that _some_one needs to help them see it."

"Someone, meaning _you_." Her laugh was gentle and as they turned in the dance, their attention was suddenly drawn to Clark and Lois walking to the floor. He had her hand in his, or rather he was grasping her fingers and for anyone who cared to look, it seemed as though they were about to be led to the guillotine.

"It's just a dance." He said quietly, shaking his head and Mrs. Kent laughed again.

But something almost imperceptible happened when they stopped and faced each other. And if Oliver didn't know better, he would have sworn he was witnessing the beginning of something. Because the moment their eyes met, the nervousness was gone.

Clark reached for her with the surety of a man who suddenly knew what he wanted and Lois let him pull her gently forward. He got an arm around her waist and caught a lock of her loose hair in the fingers of his free hand and seemed to be studying it.

They still weren't dancing and a witty remark was on the tip of his tongue to prod them along. But he didn't want to be the one responsible for ruining the moment, so he and Mrs. Kent kept dancing.

Oliver knew she was keeping just as close an eye on them as _he_ was and couldn't help but wonder if Clark's mother had seen how things had changed between them and if she approved of it.

Clark then seemed to make a decision about something as he dropped the lock of Lois' hair he'd been rubbing between his fingers and the hand that he'd had at her waist reached for _her_ hand and he walked her out of the ballroom.

"I guess they need to get some fresh air." Mrs. Kent quipped with a smile.

"That would be _my_ guess." Oliver replied and felt a twinge of envy.

"It's all right if you still care about her Oliver; she meant a lot to you."

"If it were anyone else, I'd be having a hard time with this." He admitted. "But because it's Clark, I know she's in good hands."

"That's an interesting way of putting it." And she laughed softly. "You've done something very selfless tonight and you should be proud of yourself, I know _I_ am."

"Thank you." He glanced toward the entrance and stifled a sigh before he looked back at her. "Your words mean a lot."

"They were meant to." She reached up and patted his cheek, as a mother would do for her son. "Now why don't you take me back to the table and order the both of us a glass of wine."

"Will do, Mrs. Kent. I think we need to celebrate." He smiled as Clark's mother took his arm and walked her back to their table.

oooooo

He hadn't even seen her when she walked in.

After finding the perfect dress that Lana was sure would catch Clark's eye, he only had eyes for _her_.

The way she saw him look at Lois was a look _she'd_ never gotten, not even at Senior Prom. She'd chosen her dress carefully that night, too and had ended up spending the rest of Prom with him. But he'd not looked at her as though he'd never really seen her before then.

She hadn't had the chance to let him know that she was there before he'd taken Lois out of the ballroom and Lana began to tremble because that could only mean one thing.

She skirted the dance floor as she walked toward the entrance to find them and confirm her suspicions; she was completely unprepared for what she saw when she found them.

One end of the long hallway was a dead end and as such was dimly lit. She tucked herself into a recessed doorway and watched with a mixture of fascination and dismay as she saw them kiss. It wasn't a frenzied passion as she'd been afraid of, but much more devastating.

He was dropping soft kisses on her lips and rubbing her hair between his fingers as she worked the buttons of his tuxedo jacket open and kissed him back. When the jacket was loose, she burrowed inside and he dropped her hair so he could wrap her up in it and then pressed her against the wall.

The whole thing was slow and unhurried, as though they had all the time in the world. He'd never kissed _her_ like that and it was then she realized that she was probably too late.

"Putting those surveillance techniques you learned to good use, I see." She was startled by the quiet voice of Oliver Queen.

"This is none of your concern." She hissed back.

"That's where you're wrong." She felt him take her arm. "They're my friends and they deserve to have some privacy. So why don't you leave them alone."

"He was never that affectionate with me." She lamented. "He never really seemed at ease when we were together."

"Did you ever stop to consider that it was because he wasn't with the right woman?" He asked her quietly and she saw him glance at his ex-girlfriend kissing her ex-boyfriend.

"Doesn't seeing that bother you?"

"If it were anyone else but Clark, yeah it would." His answer was honest. "But there has always been something between them and I think it's only fair that they get the chance to see what it might be."

"I made a mistake in letting him go." Lana wasn't ready to give up.

"You made a mistake in holding onto him for too long." Oliver countered and quietly pulled her back toward the ballroom. When they'd gotten back inside he handed her the shawl she'd come down with and her purse. "They have something together that Lois and I didn't and that you never had with Clark."

"What would that be?" _He was insufferable._

"Friendship. It's as simple as that." He told her as he took her arm and walked her out of the ballroom and down the opposite end of the hall to the private elevator. When they reached it, he held out his hand and she knew he wanted her keycard. She frowned as she opened her purse, fished out the card and handed it to him.

He put it in the slot and she heard a soft 'ding' and the sound of the car moving down. When the doors opened he helped her on and then held the doors open.

"Clark and Lois are very good friends of mine and they mean a lot to me, so I'm giving you fair warning right now. I have eyes and ears in a lot of places because of Queen Industries and if I hear even an unsubstantiated rumor that you're causing trouble for them you'll be hearing from me." And he handed her the keycard. "One more thing, a generous donation from the Isis Foundation for the Granville Home would be nice. Good evening Miss Lang."

And the doors closed.

_Did he just threaten her?_

oooooo

Oliver watched them as they walked back into the ballroom and he smiled.

They looked as though they'd been thoroughly kissed and were trying to behave as though they hadn't. They stayed close to each other for the rest of the evening and he noticed how Clark would keep a hand on her shoulder or elbow.

Lois for her part wouldn't hesitate to reach up and brush his hair back from his forehead or straighten his tie that didn't need it.

They were possessive gestures that he was certain neither realized, and would never admit to if they did. They were more at ease with each other than he'd ever seen and couldn't help but be envious. Because even in _their_ best moments, Lois had never been quiet as possessive with _him_.

He wanted to talk to her about what was happening, even though she'd tell him rightly that it was none of his business. He'd even managed to get her out on the dance floor for a moment before Clark was there.

"I'm cutting in." He stated in a way that didn't leave it open for debate and while Oliver was trying not to laugh out loud, Lois' head dipped as she tried to hide a smile.

"That's fine Clark." He grinned. "It gives me another opportunity to dance with your lovely mother."

"You do that." Clark nudged Oliver out and got his arms around Lois.

He walked back to the table and it appeared as though Mrs. Kent was coughing into her napkin. He was about to ask her if she wanted a glass of water, when he realized that she was laughing.

When she finally managed to speak, her eyes were filled with tears of amusement. "I've never seen Clark be quite so...forceful." And she laughed again. "He is so much like Jonathan sometimes."

"I thought Clark was adopted." Oliver asked as he sat down next to her.

"He is, but Jonathan is the only father he ever knew and _my_ father always felt that heredity wasn't all that shaped a person, it was who that person surrounded himself with. And my husband could be forceful when it was something he really believed in, or wanted."

"Do you think they even realize what's happening?"

"Of course they do, but they'll deny it." She smiled. "When tomorrow comes, they'll both behave as though tonight never happened and they'll be back to their bickering with each other. In the meantime, I think they're going to make the most of this evening while they can." And she inclined her head toward the dance floor.

They were wrapped in each other arms as they'd been in the hallway and Lois' head was on Clark's shoulder. It looked as though they were talking to each other and whatever it was they were saying to the other, they were smiling.

He should have known that it wouldn't last.

"Lois." Clark sighed and Lois pulled herself out of his arms.

"Save it, Smallville." She frowned and stomped back to the table where she grabbed her wrap and her purse. "I'm perfectly capable of driving myself home, thank you very much." And she walked out.

He sighed again, frowning in obvious confusion and followed her. "Lois."

"What was that you were saying about tomorrow?"

END.


End file.
